Pretty Please

A White Base and Elegant Detailing Create a Backdrop for Subtle Pops of Colour in This Timeless Victorian Home

- Serena Fokschaner

ELEGANT TOUCH Rob, an architect, and Chelsea, an interior designer (pictured opposite), combined their talents to turn a run-down, three-storey semi into a stunning family home to share with their two children, Vada and Forest. On the ground floor, they added a contemporary extension to accommodate an open-plan kitchen and dining area (above & opposite). “I am a believer that kitchens can look beautiful but be practical at the same time,” says Chelsea of the room she and Rob designed. Starring arabescato marble and detailed cabinetry, the elegant kitchen was made by Chelsea’s father, who is an accomplished amateur joiner. He also created the glass-topped dining table in the dining area, which is surrounded by blush pink velvet chairs Chelsea found on Ebay. For similar, try the ‘Bella’ chairs from Canningvale. A wall of glass doors leads to the courtyard garden and creates a seamless indoor-outdoor feel when open or closed (above).

Chelsea and Rob’s home is proof that you can make a real impact using colour – without going crazy with the paintbrush. Over a canvas of white walls and dark oak floorboards, the couple used artwork, objects and feature cabinetry to add character to their home, a 19th century semi in west London. “I love white walls,” says Chelsea, an interior designer. “They make a room look crisp and fresh, and you can add colour through art and objects without worrying about things clashing.”

When the couple first inspected the property, shortly after the birth of their son Forest, now two, the palette was more squalid than sophisticated.